CVE-2025-14923 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE • 03/03/2026
IBM WebSphere Application Server - Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 26.0.0.2 IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty could provide weaker than expected security when using the Security Utility when administering security settings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2026
IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty versions 17.0.0.3 through 26.0.0.2 contain a security vulnerability in the Security Utility that may result in reduced cryptographic strength during administration of security settings. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-327 weakness category, which specifically addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms or modes that can compromise the overall security posture of the system. The flaw manifests when administrators utilize the Security Utility to manage security configurations, potentially allowing attackers to exploit weakened encryption mechanisms that should have provided stronger protection. The vulnerability represents a significant risk to organizations relying on these Liberty server versions for mission-critical applications, as it directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of security configurations. Attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to bypass authentication mechanisms or decrypt sensitive information that should remain protected by stronger cryptographic standards. The security utility in question is designed to manage various security aspects including user authentication, authorization, and encryption settings, making this flaw particularly concerning for enterprise environments. Organizations using these affected versions may experience reduced security guarantees when implementing administrative security measures, potentially leaving their systems vulnerable to sophisticated attacks that target weak cryptographic implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cryptographic weakness, as it affects the fundamental security administration capabilities of the Liberty server. When administrators configure security settings through the affected utility, the system may automatically select weaker cryptographic parameters or algorithms than what is typically expected in a secure deployment environment. This behavior creates a potential attack surface where malicious actors could exploit the reduced security strength to perform credential theft, session hijacking, or other authentication bypass attacks. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the administrative level, meaning that compromised access to security configuration functions could lead to complete system compromise. According to the ATT&CK framework, this weakness maps to techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation, as attackers could leverage the weakened security to gain elevated privileges within the application server environment. The affected versions span a considerable range of the Liberty server lifecycle, indicating that this vulnerability has been present for multiple releases and affects organizations across different deployment scenarios.
Organizations should immediately assess their deployment environments to identify systems running the affected IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty versions and implement appropriate mitigations. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to a patched version of the Liberty server that addresses this cryptographic weakness in the Security Utility. Until such upgrades are possible, administrators should carefully review all security configurations and consider implementing additional compensating controls such as network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, and strict access controls for administrative functions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security configurations and highlights the risks associated with using deprecated cryptographic standards in enterprise environments. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of existing security settings to identify any configurations that may have been impacted by the weakened cryptographic strength. Organizations utilizing IBM WebSphere Liberty should consult the vendor's security advisories for specific patch information and migration guidance to ensure complete remediation of this vulnerability. The incident underscores the critical need for continuous security assessment and the importance of validating cryptographic implementations during security administration processes to prevent potential exploitation by threat actors.